30 December 2007

No longer content to carry the same bag as a suburban ninth grader, fashionistas have been adopting Goyard logo totes for at least a year now. The trend has finally reached critical mass, attracting a New York Times article on Goyard fakes flooding New York City streets. Does the bell toll for the Louis Vuitton Speedy? I sure hope so, I think it has to be one of the they most overexposed "luxury goods" on the market today. Not to say the fashionably ugly Goyard bags will be that much more exciting, at least they have better color options.

Personally, I have been ambivalent about Goyard, then again I was always ambivalent about Vuitton. Neither logo bag is particularly attractive...they are items purchased almost exclusively to show wealth or hipness. I find this approach lacks creativity and subtlety. Perhaps they eventually become attractive because of the massive exposure we receive to them in print, on TV and on the street. I certainly was not a fan of the brown Louis Vuitton bags when they first began to build in popularity, I thought they were hideous. These days I don't find them nearly as unattractive. I like to believe I am above the pull of mastige...but of course this is completely untrue. I go through cycles were I fantasize about the fabulousness of owning a Louis Vuitton travel trunk covered in rainbow colored logos on the black background. Then I slap myself and remember that I don't REALLY want something so blatant. Then I giggle, because if I had the thousands required to buy such a piece there is no way I would spend it on luggage. I would take my generic (empty) luggage and go on a shopping spree in Paris flea markets with Claudia from The Paris Apartment as my guide instead!

29 December 2007

I had secretly begun to believe that Amy Winehouse had actually had her eye makeup tattooed on and her eyes. I also believed that like a geisha, she had her hair done once a month and then kept it perfect through some sort of ritualized sleeping routine, except like a Rock Star Amy would not have been so careful in order to give her hair a slight muss. Both of these ideas were bashed when I ran across the picture to the right. Even though she is obviously distressed, Amy looks even hotter than usual rocking no makeup and crazy long and fabulous hair. I must say she was only in a bra (I edited) and our girl has fab abs. Lets hope she goes au natural more often!

28 December 2007

Sequins are EVERYWHERE and have been for months. To be honest, I never quite got on board with the look to begin with, so it did not take long for me to reach the saturation point. With New Year's Eve approaching, I can already imagine the sea of shining sequins out on the town, competing with the New Year's Ball for attention. Frankly, I am not a fan of the sequined covered garment. I'm actually still alright with some partial embellishment, but I find the sequin covered shirt, or worse dress, or worse still mini skirt to be a little too much for my taste.

I believe sequins invoke memories in us all, and that is the root of my problem. I am unable to accept a trend that carries so much baggage. How many of you can say that you look back fondly on the photographs from an event where you were covered in a glut of sequins? Personally, the closest I come to that feeling is the costume I wore for a jazz dance recital when I was seven. My hair was crimped, I was wearing makeup for the first time ever, I was hot stuff. Flash forward to 2008, am I still going to feel hot in an outfit that evokes memories of jazz fingers and bad 80s prom dresses? Do I really want this outfit recorded on film for anyone to see in 6 months when sequins have gone the way of ankle warmers?

Forgetting about aesthetics for a moment, these garments are beyond impractical. The cleaning is its own special nightmare. Your best bet is to hand wash, but for the lazy dry cleaning is the recommended course. Next, comfort I imagine is an issue, although I have not actually attempted it, one would imagine vinyl seating and and a sequined mini skirt would not be comfortable. That said, I cannot imagine anyone actually wearing a sequined mini without looking wretched, with the exception of a waif like model, who of course I already scorn on the principle of the thing. Finally, from the first time someone slips a sequined garment in the dressing room, the shedding slowly begins. Buy a cheaply made sequined dress and you may feel like Gretel leaving a shining trail to follow home after a long night out at the bars...on second thought that might not be such a bad idea...Image from people.com

26 December 2007

Try as I might, I simply was not able to get Holiday greeting cards out the door this year. I joked with my Grandmother that my typical pattern for sending holiday cards out tends to be address all of my envelopes one year and then write each message and actually send out the cards the next year. I had resigned myself to the fact I had simply been too overwhelmed with other things to send out my cards this year, and then I found a simply fabulous set on sale 50% off. My Snow and Graham greeting cards are letter press accordion fold with the lovely sentiment: "May the most you wish for be the least you get in the new year." The cards are so beautiful it seems a shame to do anything more than sign my name on them, so I might succumb to the temptation to print out an enclosure with the generic reporting of the year's happening. It is kind of tragic. I feel like I am contributing to the demise of the hand written note. But, I now understand why so many women, especially with children, choose this route of communication, their options are to send out the mass mailing or to send nothing at all. I think most of my friends will get over it as this is the cutest card they could possibly receive this holiday season.

Find yourself in a similar situation? These cards are also on sale online at Red Stamp.

25 December 2007

24 December 2007

My mother in law got the completely fabulous 12 days of Christmas dish set from Rosanna that was all over the blog-o-sphere this Christmas season. I must say that they were even more fabulous in person than in the pictures!! So, I surfed on over to rosannainc.com and was surprised to discover the crown tea pot that I have been obsessing over ever since I saw it at Wittard in London on my honeymoon is also made by this company! My new favorite is the les bijoux collection, which has fantastically bejeweled tea cups and dessert plates. I think that they would mix and match with the crown tea pot perfectly!

21 December 2007

Having tragically passed all major milestone birthdays, next month I officially will be one year closer to retirement. Yay? At any rate that means another fabulous fete hosted by yours truly. This year I've decided on a birthday brunch, because after all what girl doesn't like an excuse to tipple champagne at 11 am? Menu planning has to be one of my favorite parts of hosting a party. I start dreaming up the perfect spread months in advance, and this party will be no exception! Here is what I am currently thinking:

20 December 2007

"According to Michael Booth in his classic study English Melodrama the Victorian stage melodrama featured a limited number of stock characters: the hero, the villain, the heroine, an old man, an old woman, a comic man and a comic woman engaged in a sensational plot featuring themes of Love and Murder. Often the good but not very clever hero is duped by a scheming villain, who has eyes on the damsel in distress until fate intervenes at the end to ensure the triumph of good over evil."-wikipedia

19 December 2007

Ring in the New Year in style with this fabulous new gadget: the self mixing cocktail shaker. While this gadget definitely falls into the category of things you don't actually need, just imagine the hours of entertainment it will provide to your party guests! The best part? It costs less than $15 at The Chic and Charming Store!Image from gizmodo.com

18 December 2007

Archie Leech, better known as Cary Grant is probably one of my favorite movie stars. I simply adore his dry wit, his quirky accent and his classic good looks. This winter I've taken to wearing my scarves ascot style, as Grant often did. The look is sophisticated and a little androgynous, it always looks dashing on Cary. If I had to choose an man's style for my husband to emulate it would definitely be Cary Grant's style, perhaps his style from "To Catch a Thief." The look is classic and a little European with a healthy dash of individual flair...if only more men today had such refined taste.

My favorite feature of Cary Grant would have to be his sense of humor. Apparently he ad libbed quite a lot on set and some of his quips are decidedly dirty. I'm always shocked that they made it past the sensors. "That Touch of Mink" starring Grant and Doris Day is one of the best examples of this humor, if you've not seen it you should definitely check it out.

16 December 2007

As some of you may already know, a large chunk of Blair Waldorf's wardrobe is designed by Abigail Lorick for her new line Lorick Collection. Lorick is the designer behind all of Eleanor Waldorf's fabulous designs. The Lorick Collection spring photo shoot looks to have inspired the Gossip Girl photo shoot of the Waldorf Collection! Let's hope life imitates art and the Lorick Collection gets picked up by a major department store.

In the mean time, it appears the closest you will get to Lorick's design is Gargyle, where you can sign up now for email notification of when the collection becomes available for sale on their website. My two favorite designs from her collection are pictured above. I simply adore the yellow crinoline under the black skirt with a white rick rack trim. Unfortunately, I did not see this piece available from Gargyle. My other personal favorite is the gray Audrey Hepburn like ensemble. The monochromatic gray, the cigarettes pants, the perfectly wrapped scarf, the chic sunglasses...it is so incredibly fabulous!

So, if you are interested in imitating Blair Waldorf's enviable style you need to keep your eye on the Lorick Collection. The label is set to become a quick success after all the exposure it has received on Gossip Girl. I am certain we will see it in several designer boutiques and hopefully in high end department stores this spring. I am happy to say that this success was bestowed on an extremely worthy person! The designs of Abigail Lorick are truly fabulous, and she is a also a generous woman. Her first fashion show was at a benefit for Living with a Life Long Ambition, an organization involved in AIDS relief in Africa. Additionally, a percentage of the profits from her first collection will be donated to the cause.

Finally, I leave you with the description of the "Lorick Lady" from Lorick's website:

"This season the Lorick Lady is being introduced to society. She is polite and considerate. She make it a point to keep her manner in check even when everyone around her has forgotten her please and thank yous. Her etiquette naturally transcends her wardrobe, but she would never overlook her attire. She is always pulled together and timeless, but still modern. As classic as she may be, she known she is a rarity in today’s rather immodest society and openly celebrated her eccentricities by selecting quirky prints, accessories like gloves, scarves and suspenders. She danced late into the night, slips out of her “il sotto” crinoline skirt, changes her heels to flats and effortlessly looks perfectly put-together for her 8 am!"

14 December 2007

My Harper's Bazaar arrived yesterday, and it had a spring fashion preview! I decided to escape from the cold and imagine what life will be like in a few months by skimming style.com's index of spring fashions. I picked out a few of my favorite looks to share. First up, I am quite a fan of this Jason Wu dress. I like the slim cut, it is classic and it shows off a woman's curves. I also think the two tones give the illusion of two pieces, like you are actually wearing a separate skirt and shirt. If you needed to extend your outfit from work into evening, this dress would be useful because you could easily throw a jacket or cardigan over this dress and slip on some flats to make it more conservative, and then switch to a wrap and heels in the evening. I am a huge fan of the shoes paired with this dress on the runway, I suspect they are black patent leather Manolo Mary Janes. They make the model's feet look so tiny!Image from style.com

12 December 2007

I don't actually get the style network through my cable company. But, it doesn't seem to matter much because these days you can get your fashion tv fix on the internet. There is, among many other videos, the CandyCast on style.com brought to you by a poorly illustrated Candy Pratts Price. Then, there is lx.tv with beauty and styling tips, fashionista.com stalking NYC women to ransack their bags for all the world to see and entertaining interviews, including this one with Mo Rocca interviewing Tim Gunn (new word of the day: semiology). Not to be left behind, WhoWhatWear just sent me my daily email with a little video clip explaining how to navigate the minefield that is the office holiday party. Tragically, they suggested full on sequins and t-strap shoes...which might be alright if your boss misses the 80s. Apparently the staff at WWWD are all blond and hot, or at least those are the only ones they think are fit to show the world. Anyway, I liked the general idea of the WWWD TV clips, I am sure I will like the next clip better!Image sources on flickr

How does a little fairytale bling for your stocking sound? I think it sounds fabulous! I am excited to report my recent discovery of Disney Couture, jewelry and clothing inspired by your favorite Disney classics. The "Fairest of them all" necklace has been spotted on La Lohan and also comes as bracelet, this piece is definitely one of my favorites! I am also completely in love with the "curiouser and curiouser" necklace with a dancing Alice, inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Of course, there is a huge number of tinkerbell pieces, because everyone loves the pixi diva. But, there are also some very subtle, but very adorable necklaces in the range. Peter Pan's sling shot is one necklace that you would not immediately associate with Disney and would be a great gift for a mother or tomboy. Disney Couture is available from a href="http://astore.amazon.com/chicandchar-20?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=2">The Chic and Charming Store and 80s Purple.Images from amazon and 80spurple

I have come down with a bit of a cold. Well, that is an understatement, I feel achy and disgusting. Honestly, I really just wanted to spend the entire day in bed sleeping and drinking hot tea. But, instead, I had to go to work...such is life. My only consolation is a nice hot bath and Bigelow Cold and Flu Soak Herbal Formula. I keep a bottle on hand at all times in case of sudden illness. It is like a luxe grown up version of vicks vapor rub...highly recommended!

10 December 2007

I love the look and the feel of fur! But, I've been raised in the age of PETA and so I have a tinge of guilt every time I lustfully finger an unaffordable mink stole. My poor little brain is so conflicted! Doris Day, a great champion of animals, seems like the luckiest woman alive accompanying Cary Grant to a tropical getaway swathed in a MINK LINED coat with changeable over coats in "That Touch of Mink." Really, can you imagine anything more fabulous! Wearing fur hidden on the inside of your jacket, so soft and cozy against your skin, is beyond luxurious. But, all this fabulousness comes at the cost of the lives of several cuddly creatures. Do you think there is such thing as free range fur? Now, that is a something I could invest in, especially if it was rabbit and I knew someone had enjoyed a nice rabbit stew. I don't really feel guilty when every part of the animal is used. After all, if I'm going to eat a rabbit, why not wear its fur as well?

Image from corneliajames.com

PS-I'm sorry if I've hurt the feelings of pequitobun and all other bunny lovers.

For today's edition of the Etsy Holiday Guide, I have another guest editor! Sfgirlbybay sent along a big selection of her etsy favorites a few weeks ago, when we first began planning the guide. She has been so swamped with work that she has not had a chance to participate, and so I chose a few of her favorites! Don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic and Flutterbyblue.I love the work of matteart, by artist Matte Stephens. The site sells a selection of original art work, open prints and limited edition prints. The retro color pallet and whimsical subject matter are enchanting. The bear monster prints remind me of the illustrations in "Where the Wild Things Are." Personally, the above pictured NYC print is a favorite.

My next pick off of sfgirlbybay's extensive list of favorite artists is Sugarloop, a blogger favorite who has also been featured by design*sponge and Poppytalk. Bernadette Sipkes, a resident of New Zealand, produces limited edition screen prints. Many of these works are monochromatic and highly detailed. I want the green tropical bird and foliage for my kitchen.

The small goods from Quietdoing are simply adorable! I love the graphic print fabric wallets and the quirky record player adorned ipod covers produced by Tawny M, a resident of California. With 865 items sold, and 100% customer satisfaction, apparently I am not the only one in love!

The final shop I've chosen to feature off sfgirlbybay's list is Annechovie, which sells works produced by Anne Harwell. One of Harwell's favorite motifs is chairs, which she produces in both prints and stationary. Another favorite subject of Harwell is room protraits, including a lovely lavender living room belonging to designer Lulu Guinness.Images from each artist's etsy site

05 December 2007

For the sixth day of the Etsy Holiday Guide, we will again be focusing on Home Goods! I only have a few picks for you today because it has been super busy at work! Don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic, Flutterbyblue, and Sfgirlbybay as they've helped build the guide and may be posting some of their picks too!

I've seen vinyl wall decals in decorating magazines and home catalogs everywhere over the last few months. Vinyl Wall Art offers designs ranging from quirky to classic in a wide array of colors and shapes. I'm especially a fan of the light switch decoration in pink! These decals would make a fun gift for a friend or for yourself!

Whitney Smith Pottery produces exquisite pottery! The nesting lotus bowls are absolutely fabulous, and would look just as great sitting out on top of your china cabinet as on your dining room table. The shop is also full of platters and bowls decorated whimsically with flowers and birds. Anything in this shop would make a very special gift for a mother or grandmother.

04 December 2007

For the fifth day of the Etsy Holiday Guide, we will again be focusing on Art! I specifically decided to post a collection of etsy photography and oil paintings today. Don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic, Flutterbyblue, and Sfgirlbybay as they've helped build the guide and may be posting some of their picks too!

First, I present the oil paintings and prints of Sandy Mac. Her current series portrays one of the ultimate in retro toys, pez dispensers. Not only did I have a collection of pez dispensers when I was younger, one of my Aunts did as well! So, Mac's current series of paintings has a certain nostalgic appeal.

I was first attracted to the playful paper parasols in the works of Polly Jones. But, as I've admired her work over the last several months, I've been impressed with her ability to find beauty in small everyday objects. I think a small collection of her works would look smashing in bright and cheerful kitchen.

Midnight Paintings by Kerri King also find joy and beauty in everyday objects. King is part of the painting a day movement which was born out of the accessibility provided by the internet. Domino did a feature on painting a day blogs a few months ago! I would imagine it takes a great deal of discipline to turn out a painting a day, especially while maintaining the high quality seen in King's works.Images from each artist's etsy site.

For the fifth day of the Etsy Holiday Guide, we will again be focusing on Art! I specifically decided to post a collection of etsy photography and oil paintings today. Don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic, Flutterbyblue, and Sfgirlbybay as they've helped build the guide and may be posting some of their picks too!

Photographer, artist, world traveler, mother...all of these rolls impact Shelagh Duffett's work, available at Broomhill Pictures. For example, "Red Shoes" on of the most visually stunning pieces in her collection was taken when she ran across a black and white checked step in London, whilst walking with her daughter who happened to be wearing red shoes and checked socks!

IS Photography produces fabulous natural photography. The artist Irene Suchocki's work is whimiscal and sometimes dark. These photographs are truly captivating!

Finally, the very first photographer that I fell in love with on etsy was DINDIN. I adore her Parisian confections! The chandelier from the Opera house is so romantic!

Based on my Google Analytics Keyword analysis, there are lots of you girls coming to Chic and Charming in search of advice on how to achieve the enviable style of Serena and Blair from Gossip Girl. So, I present a new series of posts to help you add a little bit of Gossip Girl Style to your life! I think it is kind of pointless to track down the actual pieces worn on the show, because most of us probably are not going to be able to afford them. Further more, many of the pieces are probably only sold in NYC and LA anyway. So, I am going to concentrate on obtaining GG style from online sources and major chain stores. Personally, I was completely inspired by the burlesque club scene, where Blair strips down to her slip! So, where would one find such a glam slip in real life?I looked to Anthropologie one of my favorite sources of all things girly, and it did not fail me! If you are a Blair kind of girl, I suggest the Mattia Slip, a navy blue silk confection! This slip skim the body and is embellished with luxe details like ribbon trimmed lace. The slip is luxurious, sophisticated and very very Blair! What if you are more of a Serena? First off, you would never wear a slip! But, you might wear an airy silk nighty that is one part sexy and one part free spirit! Serena would love to slip into her 600-thread count sheets to dream about Dan wearing this Fly By Chemise. The Chemise is a creamy yellow baby doll, with bits of black lace criss crossing the front. Even though lady bugs and butterflies are sprinkled across fabric, the print somehow avoids being cheesy. So, now you have the Gossip Girl foundations, coming soon: Gossip Girl Hair Flair!Looking for more Gossip Girl?

03 December 2007

Every year my Church puts up a Christmas tree decorated with paper ornaments, which each list a needy child's Christmas wish! Members of the parish choose an ornament, buy the gift and bring it back a few weeks before Christmas to make sure it gets to the recipient in time. This year I chose a teenage girl who wants a makeup kit. My husband warily inquired where I was planning on doing my shopping and I promised that I would go to the drug store and Sephora, not just Sephora. BUT, then I saw the Sephora Blockbuster Pallete, which is absolutely prefect, especially since I have NO clue about the ethnic background of my teenager. I might get some brushes and mascara as well. Does anyone have any other suggestions?Image from Sephora.com

For the fourth day of the Etsy Holiday Guide, we will be focusing on Art! I specifically decided to post a collection of etsy fashion illustrations today, and tomorrow I will be presenting a few of my favorite photographers and oil artists. Don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic, Flutterbyblue, and Sfgirlbybay as they've helped build the guide and may be posting some of their picks too!

First up, Jen Oaks produces beautiful giclee prints. She is an aspiring editorial illustrator who is still in graduate school. She incorporates many of my favorite motifs into her work, including flowers, paisley prints, shoes and even day of the dead skulls! The best news is that she is having an end of the year clearance sale to make way for her new collection in January, so stop by her etsy shop to get a great deal on some beautiful work.

John Clark produces clever and unique art using sharpies and old books. I love how he leaves little windows of text describing each of his captivating and often dark subjects. I think he is one of the freshest artists on etsy, and I predict we will see his unique art in a modern art gallery someday. I was excited to see that he welcomes custom work! I know what is going straight to the top of my Christmas/birthday wishlist! A personal portrait would look fab in my black, white and red living room.

Brooke Hagel, of Brooklit's Shop, also produces custom work, specifically, custom bridal portraits. If you simply cannot bring yourself to buy from the couple's registry one of these custom portraits would make an excellent wedding gift. Booklit's Shop also sells fashion illustrations, some of which you might recognize! Both of the above illustrations have been featured in the banner of Toast and Tables.

02 December 2007

The Fashion-y Blog posted a quick heads up about the Patricia Field collection for Payless. I might have to do a reconnaissance mission to Payless as Abaete, Lela Rose, and Patricia Field all have collections in Payless right now. I am a little concerned about the Patricia Field collection, they look like stripper shoes online.Image from payless.com

I currently use an unattractive fleece eye mask to keep the bright street lamp outside my window from disturbing my beauty sleep. Hopefully Santa will help glamorize my evenings by giving me this fabulous silk eye mask, which read "Goodbye Cruel World" from Faire Frou Frou. It would make a fabulous stocking stuffer!

For the weekend edition of the Etsy Holiday Guide, I have a guest editor! After my post on her work yesterday, Pequitobun sent along a few of her etsy favorites, and I present them here for you to review...don't forget to check out Poetic and Chic, Flutterbyblue, and Sfgirlbybay as they've helped build the guide!

Inspired by my stationary post, pequitobun sent along one of her favorite stationary shops: Ink+Wit. This shops sells a range of products, including letterpress and printed stationary, prints and tshirts. I simply adore the letterpress wall calendar, I might have to buy one for my craft room!Another fabulous etsy shop that pequitobun and I share on our favorites list is Annejulie's Garden. Bookmarks, jewelry and prints in a signature style which is dark, moody and beautiful! Pequitobun is a fan of of the mini laminated bookmarks.

Finally, pequitobun suggested clothing from leanimal. I've never really investigated clothing options on etsy before, so I was excited to see her suggestion! I think this coat is my favorite piece from leanimal's collection, romantic and funky.Images from each artist's etsy shop.